Chapter 73 - The Regressor Takes a Beating (4)

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Even as I walked silently through the cave passage, my mind was racing.

Let's take stock of our party again.

First, me, the regressor. My combat abilities were top-tier in themselves, but the penalty of regressing at even a graze made me the least effective fighter in practice.

Second, Dok Suhui, with her Enchant ability. The Explosion enchantment she applied was incredibly useful, and in the last moment I remembered, she had taken out a piece of the wolf's heart to try something. I needed to see what that ability was really worth, too.

Third, Ahn Gyeongjun. He might have griefed us in the mirror room, but his actual combat prowess seemed tremendous. His wooden throwing spears carried terrifying force, and he had pulled out a spear with an unusual design when facing the golem.

Finally, Kang Chan. Along with his killing intent, he could unleash a staggeringly powerful “punch.”

“... Interesting.”

Three of our four members had been hiding their true selves.

I had hidden the fact that I was a regressor, Ahn Gyeongjun had hidden the spirit that fought for him, and Kang Chan had hidden the truth about his ability. We could call this “The Players Hide Their Power,” and it wouldn't seem out of place.

Objectively speaking, of course, we were by no means short on firepower. Kang Chan's ability had conditions attached, but it was practically a cheat code. Dok Suhui was close to an all-purpose support, offering everything from ranged attacks to defensive utility. And once Ahn Gyeongjun successfully activated Spirit Possession, he was incredibly strong. He did seem a little lacking in intelligence, though.

So I decided to carry out a plan any sane person would think of.

Namely, taking the golem head-on.

“All right, everyone. Could you hear me out for a moment?”

Just as in the previous run, the possessed Ahn Gyeongjun dispatched the wolf in an instant. We passed through the mirror maze blindfolded without issue, and Kang Chan smashed the arrow traps in one go.

“Aaargh! Aaaaaaargh!”

The problem was that “fear” room. Perhaps I had grown numb to the prospect of Regression continuing even after I died of old age, having already experienced it once, because the contents of my fear had changed.

This time, the nightmare showed me going insane and slaughtering everyone I knew. At first, I was so distraught that tears and snot streamed down my face, but at some point, I managed to come to my senses. I think it was probably because the thought that this was only a trial lay dormant in my subconscious.

“... You're awake?”

“... Looks like we cleared it at the same time.”

As I got up, my eyes met Dok Suhui's tear-filled ones. Considering she had needed to wake me up last time, this was a tremendous improvement.

“This metal... reflects impacts back if they're stronger than a certain threshold.”

And so, at last, we stood before the golem's room once again.

“... Get ready. I can sense something up ahead.”

“... Is it really that strong?”

“Stronger than you can imagine. According to my ‘Insight’ ability, it might be stronger than all of us combined.”

The difference was that this time, we would face it fully prepared.

I bullshitted them about having a made-up ability called Insight, then repeatedly stressed how incredibly strong the golem ahead was. Even those who had been skeptical at first eventually believed me.

“Boss Chan, cover the rear...”

I sent Kang Chan to the back, already knowing that he was all shell and no substance.

“Suhui, get the wolf's heart ready in advance...”

I had Dok Suhui stand by with the finely chopped pieces of wolf heart.

“And, Gyeongjun, please get ready to fight. Seriously.”

I steered Ahn Gyeongjun toward taking out the ornately designed spear I'd seen before, rather than his old wooden one.

“... Good.”

Finally, with a shield on each hand, I stared ahead. There was no point in my attacking. I needed to focus on blocking the fallout from the attacks.

At last, all our preparations were complete. The four of us swallowed as we watched the lump of metal, which showed no intention of moving.

“Hah...!”

Dok Suhui's hand began glowing blue as she gripped a piece of the monstrous wolf's heart. Like melting ice cream, the piece gradually disappeared, until only blue flames remained, dancing above her hand.

FWOOSH.

Dok Suhui gently stroked the fire. Slowly, she placed the flames on Ahn Gyeongjun's spear.

The instant they touched the spear, the flames turned transparent and began blazing fiercely around its blade. Strangely, despite all the feathers attached beneath the spearhead, none of them were harmed by the flames.

“... Mm.”

The possessed Ahn Gyeongjun nodded in satisfaction.

He gave the ornate spear a quick twirl, loosened his shoulders a little, and worked his mouth this way and that.

“Hup!”

Then he hurled the spear at the lump of metal.

CLAAAAANG!

With an ear-splitting crash, the spear came flying back at Ahn Gyeongjun along the exact path it had taken. The magical metal's reflective property had kicked in.

SNAP.

But Ahn Gyeongjun simply extended his hand, his expression calm.

The spear flying toward its master to hurt him suddenly vanished in midair. No, it hadn't vanished. It was in its master's hand.

If he could summon spears out of thin air... then recalling a spear he had already thrown wasn't much of a stretch. The important thing was that we had a way to neutralize the metal's reflective property.

RUMBLE!

The metal golem assembled itself in an instant as soon as it took the hit. Hairline cracks ran across its right arm, left by Ahn Gyeongjun's spear.

“... Hmm.”

As expected, that alone wasn't enough. The lump of metal had cracked, but the impact hadn't been strong enough to break it apart, and we didn't have an endless supply of wolf heart.

If I could see something like a “golem core,” I would have kept trying... but there was nothing like that on its smooth body.

Kang Chan's killing intent didn't work, either. Even Dok Suhui and Ahn Gyeongjun's combined ultimate opening strike hadn't inflicted meaningful damage.

As for me... that went without saying.

The situation was clear. We lacked firepower.

The firepower to smash that golem to pieces.

I shook my head, then bit lightly into my lip with my front teeth.

[You have taken damage.]

[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 3-5.]

* * *

“...”

It had been proven once again that Kang Chan's punch was essential to defeating the golem.

No, perhaps we could somehow win if we fought it properly, head-on. Perhaps there was a future in which we bled, gritted our teeth, and emerged victorious after repeatedly skirting death.

If I weren't stuck regressing at even a graze, that is. With both Kang Chan and me effectively useless, defeating the golem was a distant prospect.

That meant we had to reach the golem with Kang Chan's “punch” still in reserve to win. That flash of devastating power could finish the golem in one blow, physical-attack reflection or not.

I didn't know whether defeating the golem would be the end, or whether another trial awaited beyond it. But one thing was certain: we needed Kang Chan's power to defeat it.

But we also needed Kang Chan's power for the “arrow trap corridor.” Apart from Ahn Gyeongjun while possessed, none of us could take much punishment. In my case, even an arrow grazing me meant Regression.

Ultimately, the problem was simple. We needed Kang Chan's power in two places, but he could only use his punch once.

And simple problems usually have simple solutions.

* * *

“Hah... ‘Iron Wall!’ Done!”

“... Whew.”

I steadied my breathing and took a big step forward.

CLUNK.

The moment my foot touched the smooth stone floor, I heard metal engaging somewhere, and five arrows shot straight toward where I stood.

In the previous run, I'd dodged them by leaping backward. This was the very start of the trap corridor, and behind me lay a safe zone. There was no reason not to dodge backward.

“Hup!”

Despite that, I gritted my teeth and twisted my body.

Holding the two shields I'd brought from the initial weapons room, one in each hand, I knocked away the arrows flying in from either side. At the same time, I raised my left foot to evade the arrow aimed at my ankle, rotated my body ninety degrees to avoid the one aimed at my ribs, and turned my head aside to dodge the one aimed at my face.

I had to contort myself into a very peculiar position to fend off the arrows... but what mattered was that I'd avoided them.

“... Hah.”

I carefully lowered my foot onto the same spot I'd stepped on before.

Since I'd already seen which directions the arrows came from in the previous run, dodging them hadn't been difficult. A good first step. I could have celebrated this excellent start, but...

“... Fuck.”

Having dodged those arrows myself, I knew instinctively. If I hadn't known they were coming, I couldn't have dodged them. This wasn't something reflexes alone could handle.

The arrows were too fast, their trajectories too tricky, and they were practically silent. Even someone with animal-like senses would struggle considerably against this trap.

“Fuck, fuck...”

For someone like me, who regressed at even a graze, this was the worst possible trial. Even so, I took another step.

CLUNK.

I heard something engage, and six arrows fired at once. I deflected two and managed to dodge two more on reflex, but I completely missed the remaining two.

RIP!

But I was lucky. Thanks to my hasty twist, they struck an area covered by my Iron Wall-enchanted leather armor. And because they were glancing hits rather than direct ones, the armor held, suffering only some damage.

“Huff, huff, huff...”

Mentally retracing the paths the arrows had just taken, I stepped forward again. I wasn't placing my feet randomly, but according to my own rules. It was a measure to reduce the variables.

“... Hmm.”

This time, I heard nothing. Was this a safe spot? Just as the tension in my heart began to ease a little...

THUNK!

“Argh!”

An arrow fired from behind after a delay buried itself in my back, and I screamed as I fell flat on my face.

[You have taken damage.]

[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 3-5.]

* * *

“... Get up, rookie.”

Without answering Kang Chan, I hesitantly rose to my feet.

If you've followed me this far, I think you've figured out what I'm trying to do.

There are two places where we need Kang Chan's ability.